Time circuit-closer.



No. 696,319. Patented Mar. 25, I902. D. L. DEMOREST.,

TIME CIRCUIT CLOSER.

(Application filed Feb 16, 1901.)

(No Model.)

Juvenile z QXht-ncano I I i I UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

DAVID L. DEMOREST, OF TACOMA, XVASHINGTON.

TlM E CIRCUIT-CLOSER.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,819, dated March25, 1902.

Application tiled February 16,1901. Serial No. 47,698. (No model.)

To all 4072,0724, it may concern:

Be itknown that 1, DAVID L. Dnnonnsr, a citizen of the United States,residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of \Vashington,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism forAutomatically Turning on an Electric Circuit; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for automaticallyturning on an electric current at a given time or turning it off at agiven time or for automatically turning it on at one time and thenturning it off again at a desired moment.

It consists in the combination, with an ordinary clock mechanism, of aseries of wires and connections so arranged that a circuit may becompleted by the engagement of the hour-hand of the clock mechanism witha contacting device connected with said wires, the wires leading to asuitable source of electricity.

It further consists in providing the clock mechanism with a circularconductor arranged beneath the path of one of the hands of the clock,the said conductor being provided with an adjustable clip which may beengaged by one of the hands of the clock, the said hand and the saidcircular conductor being connected up with a source of electricpower andcontacting springs or arms also connected with said clock-hand andcircular conductor and adapted to be operated by the alarm mechanism ofthe clock, so that when the clock-hand engages the adjustable contact onthe circular conductor the circuit will be completed and when the alarmmechanism is actuated or released in the usual manner the circuit willbe broken.

It further consists in certain other novel constructions, combinations,and arrangements of parts, as will be herein fully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of anordinary clock, showing a circular conductor arranged upon the facethereof beneath the hands of the clock, the said conductor beingprovided with an adjustable contact-piece. Fig. 2 is a View, partiallyinsection and partiallyin elevation, of the works in a clock, particularlyshowing the alarm mechanism and the wiring connecting the device withcircuits which are to be controlled by the said clock mechanism. Fig. 3is a detail sectional view through a portion of the alarm mechanismwhich is employed for making or breaking a circuit. Fig. 4 is anenlarged detail sectional view through the stem of an hour-hand and thegear which carries the same, showing a contact sleeve or ring mountedthereon. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View of a portion of themechanism, showing a different manner of wiring the same. Fig. 6 is adiagrammatical View showing another way of wiring the device.

This invention is designed to afford a simple means for automaticallyclosing or opening a circuit at a given time; and the object isaccomplished by employing the simple mechanism of an ordinary clock, as1, upon the face of which is arranged a circular conductor 2. Thecircular conductor is provided with a sliding contact block or piece 3,which may be a simple clip or similar device easily placed in positionon the said conductor and engaging the same in such a manner that it canbe readily forced around the face of the clock by one of the handswithout interfering with the time-keeping function of the clock. Theconductor 2 is connected through the face-plate of the clock by means ofthe wire 5 with a metallic piece 6, which is mounted in aninsulating-block 7, arranged on the easing of the clock. The block 7 ispreferably screw-threaded, as at 8, to engage a threaded aperture 9 inthe clock-casing and is perforated to receive the connecting-piece 6.This piece 6 is provided with a binding-screw 10 on its inner end forholding the wire 5 in position and is also provided with an outerbinding-screw 11 for holding the wire or other conductor 12 in position,which leads to the source of electricity.

The stem 13 of one of the clock-hands,preferably of thehour-hand, isprovided with a loose collar or ring 14:, to which is attached the endof the connecting-wire 15. A contact may thus be made with the hour-handwithout interferin g with its movement. The wire 15 leads to and isconnected with the spring contactpiece 16, which is secured to thecross-bar 17 of the clock-frame, and a suitable-binding the said shaft20 about one-half a turn by means of its key 20, as in winding, thespring-' plate 19 will be moved from the dotted position shown in Fig. 3to a position where it will be forced against the end. of the springcontact 16, as shown infull lines in the-said Fig. 3. The wire conductor23 connects the spring-contact 19 with an attaching-piece 24, mounted inthe insulating block 25, arranged in the casing in the same manner asthe block 7, heretofore described. The binding-screws 26 and 27 at eachend of the piece 24 secure the conducting-wire 22 to the said piece, asalso a circuit-wire 28. The spring contactplates 16 and 19 arethoroughly insulated from the clock-frame by means of insulatingmaterial, as at 29 and 30. The parts attached to the clock mechanism arethus all insu-- lated therefrom with the exception, perhaps, of thecollar engaging the stem of the hourhand. The ring conductor 2 on theface of the clock is of course thoroughly insulated from the saidclock-face.

When it is desired to complete a certain circuitsay through a series oflamps at a given time, and turn them off at a later periodthe adjustableclip or contact-piece 3 is moved to a point on the rim 2 opposite thehour when it is desired to complete the circuit. The alarm mechanism ofthe clock is set for the time when it is desired to open the circuit orput out the lights, the contactplates 16 and 19 being brought intoengagement with each other by the turning of the alarm mechanism arborfor winding the spring thereof by means of the key 20. It will thus beseen that as the hour-hand moves around the face of the clock it willcome into engagement with the contact-block 3 at the desired time, andthe circuit will be completed through the wired portion arranged in theclock. The contact-clip 3 will not interfere with the movementof thehour-hand, since it engages the ring 2 loosely enough to be easilypushed around thereon by the said maintain the circuit until the timewhen the alarm mechanism is released, which will cause the spring-plate19 to move out of contact with the plate 16, the arbor 20 of the alarmmechanism carrying the plate 19 with it as it rotates, and the circuitwill be broken atthatpoint. Byaslightly-differentarrangement of theconnectingwires the current may be turned ofi at a givenperiod afterhaving been originally turned on by some other means. Thus instead ofconnecting the wire 5 with'the ring 2 on the face of the clock its endmay be connected directly with the spring-plate 16, as shown in Fig. 5.In this manner when the alarm-mechanism is releasedafter having'beenproperly set the current which has been previously, closed may beopened automatically at the desired time.

face of the clock for closing the circuit by simply placing thespring-plate 16 upon the other side of. the clock-frame, as shown inFig.6 at 3l.- Thenby winding the alarm mechanism the plate 19 will moveand be held out of contact with the plate 16, the ar bor 20 being heldagainst reversal by the usual means-which engages the pallet of the Thesame alarm mechanism may also be employed without the connection on thealarm-escapement until the said alarm mecho anism is released, when thesaid plate 19 will be caused to move with the arbor of the alarmmechanism until it engages the spring-plate 16 and closes the circuit.

It will thus be seen that by this simple arrangement of circuits andcontact-plates an alarm-clock of ordinary structure may be made to closeor open or close and open an electric circuit automatically at giventimes, requiring no further attention than the setting of the clockmechanism.

The device will be found extremely useful in turning on and off electricincandescent lights, especially where the same are used in buildings andstores where people do not ordinarily stay at nights.

It will of course be apparent that I may employ any kind of a movablecontact on the face of the clock in the place of the ring and movableadjustable block shown in the drawings, all within the spirit of theinvention.

Having thus described my invention, .what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. A mechanism for making or breaking a when the said hand comes againstthe said contact device. hour-hand. Of course this will also serve to 2.A mechanism for making and breaking an electric circuit, comprising aclock mechanism,a movable contact arrangedin the path of one of theclock-hands, contact plates or springs adapted to be controlled by thealarm mechanism of the clock, and suitable conductors for connecting theparts, the structure being such that the making or breaking of thecircuit may be controlled both by the clock-hand and by the alarmmechanism so that when the hand of the clock engages the contact on theclock-face, the circuit may be closed, and when the alarm mechanism ofthe clock is released the circuit may be automatically opened.

3. In a circuit making and breaking device, the combination With anordinary alarm-clock mechanism, of a circular contact mounted on theface of the clock, an adjustable contact block arranged to move thereon,and adapted to be struck by the hand of the clock, and to move aroundtherewith, contact-springs arranged upon the clock-frame and connectedto the arbor of the alarm mechanism Whereby they will be separatedautomatioallywhen the alarm mechanism is released, substantially as setforth.

4:. In a circuit making and breaking device, the combination with analarm-clock mechanism, of an insulated conductor mounted on the face ofthe clock, a contact-block movable thereon and adapted to be struck bythe hourhand of the clock, a Wire connecting the said conductor with thepiece insulated with respect to the clock-casing, an insulated block forholding the same, a Wire connected with a loose ring on the stem of thehour-hand, a spring mounted on the frame of the clock and connected withthe said Wire, a movable plate secured to the arbor of the alarmmechanism, a Wire connecting the same with a piece passing through thecasing of the clock, an insulating-block for holding the said piece inposition, the structure being such that the hour-hand will be adapted tocomplete and maintain the circuit until the alarm mechanism is operated,when the circuit will be antomatically opened,substantiallyas set forth.

5. A circuit-breaking device comprising a clock mechanism having analarm-operating device, a spring-contact carried by the arbor of thesaid alarm mechanism,a contact-spring mounted on the frame of the clockadapted to be engaged by the arbor-contact when the alarm mechanism isWound and set, and Wires connecting the contact-piece with the circuitto be closed, the said spring-plates being separated and the circuitautomatically opened when the clock mechanism releases said alarmmechanism, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

DAVID L. DEMORESTt lVitnesses:

FRANK J. MILLER, W. H. HAYDEN.

